Off the heels of his record-breaking run with “Parasite”, writer-director Bong Joon-ho returns with “Mickey 17”, a sci-fi comedy about a man who has sold himself to the government for lethal missions and regenerates his body every time he dies.
Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) admitted that he wasn’t reading through the long contract when he signed up to become an Expendable for a spaceship, his easiest ticket to escape from the crime lords chasing him on Earth. An Expendable is often treated as disposable, and scientists can conveniently replace you and print out the exact likeliness of your body using a machine.
Mickey has lived and died through a lot. He sacrificed himself a few times to breathe in the air of an unfamiliar planet as a lab rat until someone perfected a vaccine to make it liveable for all men. The movie's title is the 17th iteration of Mickey, but things turn sideways when he is mistakenly labeled as dead, and they print out a Mickey 18. Two Mickeys set out on a dangerous path to hide themselves from everyone.
“Mickey 17” doesn’t have the snappiness of Bong’s last few works, but its wobbly and often free-flowing structure makes it a thoroughly enjoyable watch. It takes a while to familiarize its audience with the mechanics of its world and even mid-way, the film seems to have an urge to spend a couple more minutes for exposition. The slow build-up to a calm and harmless climax may be underwhelming for some people, but those who would be willing to stick on will find something worthwhile.
The production design is well-crafted, and with more budget to work around, it’s fascinating to see the vastness of opportunities for Bong Joon-ho to play with. It’s certainly more ambitious than the small-spaced worlds of “Snowpiercer” and “Okja”, but despite this, there’s plenty of room for humane moments.
Robert Pattinson is amazing as the multi-layered and rich Mickey Barnes. When Mickey dies, he is regenerated into a more mature but dreadful version of himself. Mickey 18 is significantly different than Mickey 17. It’s absurd but Pattinson embraced the zaniness of his character and made him relatable to everyone. There’s also nuance in the small details, from his quips and mannerisms to a great range of voice that shifts throughout.
But perhaps most people will come into “Mickey 17” for the coattails of Bong Joon-ho. Understandably so. He has done great things across multiple genres, and this one is a great addition to the list. It’s funny and true to his signature charm of off-beat social satire. This film does get very political, and those who are watching this expect a high-budget sci-fi actioner that could lead to a myriad of films and spin-offs, this is not it.
Mickey
17 is now showing in cinemas from Warner Bros. Pictures and Universal Pictures.
Featured
photos from Warner Bros. Pictures.
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